The carnauba palm tree has always been a part of my life. But a capacity-building programme on artisanal weaving transformed my life, enabling me to make a decent living for myself and my children. Today, I belong to a group of committed women working hard to preserve traditions and innovate with this craft.

During my childhood, my father's main activity was the extraction of carnauba leaves for wax production. It was our family’s main source of income.

In our community, everyone participated. The men would collect the leaves, while the women weaved the pieces together into brooms.

When my father was still married to my mother, I was too young to help. Later, when my father remarried, my sister and I would help by leading home the donkeys that carried the saddlebags of leaves. My stepmother would then process the leaves.

I grew up in this environment, always surrounded by carnauba. I saw a few items made from it, like mats and baskets, but in my family, the tradition of making handicrafts had faded over time.

I have always known about carnauba crafts, particularly those from the state of Ceará, and I had wondered why we weren’t doing the same in our state, Piauí. (Brazil, 2025)

Even when I was too young to help, I remember accompanying my father to the carnauba groves. I would play on the harvested leaves with my sister while my father worked.

But my father's work was very labour-intensive. One of the biggest challenges was starting the work early in the morning to avoid the intense sun.

Every Friday, my father would wait on the highway for a truck to transport the brooms to the fair. He would have to travel overnight to sell them. And even then, the products sold at very low prices.

I hope that my children will be proud of my courage and see that my sacrifices were for a greater purpose. I want them to carry forward the lessons of resilience and hard work. (Brazil, 2025)

I have always known about carnauba crafts, particularly those from the state of Ceará, and I had wondered why we weren’t doing the same in our state, Piauí.

One day, my father sent me photos of handicrafts made from carnauba straw and told me that there was going to be a course on how to weave carnauba straw.

At the time, he was a union delegate and he had heard that there was an ILO project reviving this technique and offering a capacity-building programme. He asked me if I thought I could handle it. From the start, I was interested.

I immediately saw an opportunity. I wanted to answer my own questions and prove that we could build something valuable from our local resources.

Before working with carnauba crafts, it was always a financial struggle, especially after I had my children.

Before working with carnauba crafts, I did other types of handicrafts. However, my primary income came from government social protection programmes and selling homemade foods.

But it was always a financial struggle, especially after I had my daughter and son. There were times when I had to choose between reinvesting in my business or buying essentials for my children. Sometimes, I earned enough; other times, I didn’t. The instability caused a lot of stress and anxiety.

From the beginning of the ILO project, we were told that it wasn’t just going to be about crafts. The project had bigger goals and aspirations for the future.

Learning the weaving techniques came naturally to me. The most challenging part for me was working on pieces that required machine sewing. (Brazil, 2025)

In the project, we learned a lot. Elisângela, the instructor, came to our community and spent a week with us. 

At first, it was my curiosity about the potential of carnauba crafts that motivated me. But as I learned more, I became eager to create something from start to finish. We learned how to make baskets using different types of braids. When I finally learned the techniques and saw the finished products made with my own hands, I felt victorious. 

During the training course, I saw many talented women quit, but I always believed in the project. I could see its potential beyond the initial struggles.

Some women dropped out of the course in the first week, saying they didn’t feel connected to it. Others wondered if this was really going to work or if we were investing time and money in something that wouldn’t succeed.

The uncertainty played with everyone's emotions at first. But the ones who stayed really identified with the craft and were very excited. By the end of the course, we had already begun to receive orders for our crafts.

This experience has transformed me. It pulled me out of a bubble of hopelessness and gave me a sense of purpose. (Brazil, 2025)

Later, Elisângela, our instructor, became the coordinator of our group of artisans, and she is now the president of the association.

Today, we are a group of committed women working hard to preserve traditions and innovate within this craft.

We have a strong bond, especially among those of us who took the first course together. We support one another. Seeing that kind of encouragement within the group is very powerful. We have since trained more people, but our initial group has remained tightly connected.

When we started working, our biggest challenges were the lack of resources to buy necessary materials and the uncertainty about selling our products.

Now, what we need most is support in commercializing our products in a sustainable way. We need better access to markets beyond local fairs, as those come with high costs and uncertainties.

Supporting us goes beyond generating income; it empowers women, strengthens communities, and uplifts local traditions.

If I were to tell my future grandchildren about this experience, I would tell them about the victory—not just for me, but for my entire group and our community.

For me, this experience changed everything. When I started the craftwork, I had been diagnosed with severe anxiety and was taking medication. I barely left my house. But the craft took me out of that bubble. 

Eventually, my doctor saw that I no longer needed the medication. I started socializing, traveling, and attending trade fairs. I now feel more confident and determined.

People think I was always this way, but it took a lot of preparation and overcoming psychological barriers. 

Carnauba is much more than just a plant. To me, the carnauba tree symbolizes resilience, strength, and survival. I see myself reflected in its ability to endure and thrive despite hardships.

If I were to tell my future grandchildren about this experience, I would tell them about the victory—not just for me, but for my entire group and our community. 

I would tell them how carnauba crafts became a recognized and dignified profession. And how it allowed so many women to earn a decent living.

Brazil is the main producer of carnauba wax, extracted from leaves of the carnauba, a palm tree native to the northeast of the country.  The wax is widely used in industry, particularly in the cosmetics, automotive, pharmaceutical, and food sectors.

The carnauba leaves are also used to create handicrafts. In the region where Fátima lives, this tradition had nearly disappeared. 

An ILO capacity-building programme, developed in partnership with the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (SEBRAE) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), has revived the craft, benefiting Fátima and 30 other women in the state of Piauí, in northeastern Brazil.

It's part of the ILO project “Plan for the Promotion of Decent Work in the Carnauba Supply Chain”, funded by the Brazilian Labour Prosecution Service (MPT), a body linked to the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office.

The production of baskets and bags made from carnauba straw is now well established, featuring a distinct design and identity. Many of the women have travelled across Brazil to participate in fairs and events, and some of their products have been sold to clients in Colombia and the United States.

The two groups of women artisans, “Curicacas” and “Natupalha”, have been trained to create and manage their social media and e-commerce platforms, and each has its own Instagram account: @usecuricacas and @natupalha.

The success of the ILO project has inspired local partners to mobilise other groups of women to revive the ancestral tradition of crafting with carnauba palm leaves.

Interview with Edno Moura, Labour Prosecutor, Labour Prosecution Service (MPT), Brazil

Interview with Edno Moura, Labour Prosecutor, Labour Prosecution Service, Brazil

Among braids and weaves: The artisanal revolution of the women of carnauba

Promotion and compliance with the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work in Brazil (in Spanish)

Carnauba straw handicrafts by the Usecuricacas artisanal group

Carnauba straw handicrafts by the Natupalha artisanal group

Fátima Laine Sousa Santos lives in Piauí, Brazil, in a community which farms carnauba palm trees. Thanks to an ILO project aimed at promoting decent work, she has gained financial stability by developing the skills to work as an artisanal carnauba weaver.

Our artisanal craft empowers us

FoW Podcast -  AI and work in Latin America v.5 EN  Master-.mp3

ILO-World Bank report “Buffer or Bottleneck? Employment Exposure to Generative AI and the Digital Divide in Latin America" 

Observatory on AI and Work in the Digital Economy

Generative AI is transforming jobs in Latin America, but who benefits, and who gets left behind? Pawel Gmyrek from the ILO and Hernan Winkler from the World Bank join the Future of Work podcast to discuss their research, exploring how AI is reshaping work and its implications for inequality.  

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the way we work, from automating routine tasks to enabling innovative solutions. But how is it affecting different regions of the world? Who has access to these transformative technologies, and who is left behind? Could it widen the digital divide and deepen existing inequalities?

In this episode of the podcast, we explore these pressing questions with our guests Pawel Gmyrek, Senior researcher at the ILO, and Hernan Winkler, Senior economist at the World Bank. Together, they discuss findings from their research paper, Buffer or bottleneck? Employment exposure to generative AI and the digital divide in Latin America.

The impact of generative AI on jobs in Latin America

Despite my skills and experience, when I was invited to become a tailoring trainer, I worried about my lack of certification. As a refugee, I no longer had access to my official documents. When I found the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programme, new horizons opened for me.

Celestin is my first name, and I am from the Fizi region in South Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Before 2000, I lived in DRC and worked as a Disciplinary Director at a school. I had studied and achieved a diploma in Pedagogy.

My job at the school was to supervise and guide the students and ensure that the school stayed clean. I also kept the keys for the doors, as I was responsible for closing the classrooms.

I was not highly qualified though, as I had just started working there.

One Friday night, people began running towards us. When they arrived, they told us that war had started.

Recognition of my skills brought me new hope for the future

That night, we stayed awake in utter silence until 5am. The next morning, there were gunshots. Those who managed to escape brought us news and we realized the situation was escalating.

People started running and fleeing. At that time, my wife and kids were heading to our home, and they were caught in the crossfire. My wife died, but my children survived.

My friends and I were arrested and taken away. Since we were young, they said we were rebels.

I don't like talking about what happened after we were taken to prison because many people died. I almost died too, but one evening, I was told to go outside to dispose of the waste from our cell.

It was around 7pm, and it was dark. Myself and another young man who had been shot went out. That's when we got the opportunity to run away.

After everything that happened back home and the things that were done to us in prison, I should have died. However, I am alive because God wanted me to continue living. (Nairobi, Kenya, 2024)

We went to a nearby town and there we found trucks transporting wood. We got into the back of a truck and left. I didn't know when we crossed the borders. But, by the time we were dropped off, we were in Kenya. 

I have been here for over 20 years now and haven't been back to DRC since.

Once we arrived in Nairobi, we were taken to the UNHCR in Westlands. I stayed there for over eight months, sleeping in boxes.

Later, I was directed to a place with cheap rentals. I rented a single room made of iron sheets. Life went on from there.

Back home in DRC, I had learned tailoring and had made a few things. But I had never earned money from being a tailor as I had another job that catered to my needs.

When I came to Kenya, I started to make clothes. After some time, I made friends with the tailors in Westlands, and joined them. I would sew, and whatever I earned, I would pay a little to them. The remaining amount would be enough for a meal.

My lack of a certificate troubled me. How could a trainer instruct without proper certification?

When I left Westlands, I moved to an iron-sheet house in Kangemi, where many refugees were staying. Later, I relocated to Kabiria and worked for a woman named Sarah. It was from the salary she provided that, in 2004, I purchased a sewing machine.

Still, my biggest challenge was that I did not have my training certificates and I could not afford to get a new one. If I didn't have a certificate to show people, then who would believe that I went to school? No one. Nonetheless, I decided to leave all that behind and focus on what was ahead.

Sometime later, when the Africana organization began seeking individuals skilled in sewing, I was invited to teach single women and single mothers.

But my lack of a certificate troubled me. How could a trainer instruct without proper certification?

This is my passion. I started my work at a school, and I wanted to continue, but I was not able to because of the war. (Nairobi, Kenya, 2024)

Thankfully, I discovered an opportunity to have my skills tested and to receive a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) certification.

At first, I questioned the authenticity of this certificate because I believed formal education was required to attain one. Nevertheless, I decided to proceed.

I underwent the examination. To my surprise, I passed while others did not. I achieved Grade 1, meaning I can construct a coat and a suit.

Now, I can serve as a teacher with credentials. I pass on knowledge to my students. Many of my former students are progressing because of what they've learned.

I think the RPL programme is good, especially for refugees. The challenge is moving forward: who will guide you? How will you be supported? (Nairobi, Kenya, 2024)

Today, I'm optimistic. With the RPL certificate, the opportunities are limitless, both locally and internationally. RPL serves to identify those excelling in their field for academic recognition. That's the essence of RPL.

The ILO says that if you have the certificate, you can go to places outside of Kenya. Knowing this makes me happy.

There are still some challenges. Even with this certificate, if I apply for a job in an Export Processing Zone (EPZ), they ask for a work permit and ID, which I don't have.

Integration for refugees is happening, but it's not fully realized yet.

Today, I'm optimistic. With the RPL certificate, the opportunities are limitless, both locally and internationally.

My desire would be to attain a higher level than this. I was told that the RPL certificate means that I could go to university.

For now, finding money for this is tough. I have responsibilities; a family to feed, rent to pay. But the RPL brings me hope to continue this journey.

One day, I plan to start my own school and afterwards open two to three schools.

For refugees, finding work is hard. Enhancing our education helps a lot.

Bringing the RPL certification to other countries would be great. It would boost the economy and reduce refugees' reliance on organizations.

The “Partnership for improving prospects for forcibly displaced persons and host communities” (PROSPECTS) is a unique initiative, launched in 2018 and with a second phase extending it to 2027.

It is spearheaded by the Government of the Netherlands and brings together the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Bank.

The Partnership aims to support the transition from humanitarian to development-centred assistance, which can address long-term challenges and the combined needs of the host and refugee communities and accelerate sustainable solutions to build more inclusive, cohesive and productive societies.

The Partnership is being implemented in eight countries in the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda) and the MENA region (Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon).

The ILO brings experience and expertise on technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and on the recognition of prior learning for certifying the skills of refugees and host communities to better ensure access to the labour market, as well as methods for assessing labour market demand to ensure skills training programmes are demand-driven.

With support from the ILO, the Government of Kenya launched a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy that certifies skills gained outside formal education, empowering informal workers and refugees with official credentials, improving employment opportunities, and promoting an inclusive, skills-based workforce. To date, 8,051 beneficiaries have benefitted from the recognition of prior learning initiative and Celestin Mbaruku is one of them.

Interview with Henk Jan Bakker, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Kenya

Partnership for improving prospects for forcibly displaced persons and host communities (PROSPECTS)

ILO topic portal: Recognition of prior learning

Celestin Mbaruku is a tailor and tailoring trainer in Nairobi, Kenya. As a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, he lacked access to formal employment until his skills were certified by the Government of Kenya’s Recognition of Prior Learning programme, developed with the ILO.

Since I was a young child, I always knew I wanted to follow my mother's path and work in garment making. But I didn't anticipate how far my journey would bring me. Now, my business employs hundreds of women. Recent improvements in productivity, occupational safety, and social policies have created a working environment that benefits both our staff and our customers.

When I was about six years old, my mother set up a small workshop in our home to make garments that she sold to local department stores.

Even though the workshop was small, a few other women worked alongside my mother there. They were like my aunties. Some of them took me to school or picked me up from school. We ate together. We did everything together. We were like a family. That's how I first saw the garment manufacturing industry.

Back then, I would get up every morning and go to sit in the workshop. I would stand behind the industrial sewing machine and try to sew and, every few months, I would end up with a needle in my finger and need to go to hospital.

My mother told the other workers: "don't allow her inside the workshop". But I always got in somehow.

Through my business, I see the value of investing in women

I was in my early twenties when I started making clothes myself. At that time, the customers would come with their fabric, and I would design and make clothes to fit them. Everything was custom-made.

I did that for four or five years before some customers started suggesting that I should produce on a larger scale. Then one day, some expatriate customers said that I should attend a trade show in the United States.

It sounded like climbing the tallest mountain in the world. But it wasn't impossible.

At the time, I was a member of the Ghana Association of Women Entrepreneurs and they helped find funding for me. So, I took a bold step, and I went to a trade show.

There was no ambiguity about what I was going to do as an adult. My mother was quite bold, so I think I must have gotten that from her. (Ghana, 2024)

During the trade show, one client came to my booth and said: "I love this dress, but I need 100 pieces." I was totally unprepared. I was shocked that somebody could actually ask me for 100 dresses.

In the booth next to mine, there was a lady from Thailand. I told her about the request. She replied: "What did you think you were coming here to do?" Then, she offered to help me produce the order.

I went with her to Thailand. There I saw many small factories, and each carried out a single job. One factory only made collars and another only sleeves. In the last factory, they put all the pieces together and packed the products. It was all very orderly.

I thought, "The women in these factories are just like me, so why can't we do this in Ghana?" We didn't have the know-how, but I knew we could figure it out. So, that's how I got into mass production.

I thought, "The women in these factories are just like me, so why can't we do this in Ghana?" We didn't have the know-how, but I knew we could figure it out.

When I came back from my trip to Thailand, I decided to use what I had learned to give jobs to people in Ghana. I started producing larger volumes and with the money I made, I bought more machines.

Now, we are able to produce thousands of items. At full scale, we have over 400 workers in the factory. If we receive a large order, then it can be twice that number.

Over 90 per cent of my staff are women. Mostly, they are working to feed their children and, in some cases, their husbands and parents as well. So you see the ripple effect of every good thing that you do. Personally, I see how much value there is in investing in women.

When you put the effort into training women, there's loyalty and commitment. When the workers see that you care about them, they stay with you, even through difficult times. Yes, our issues are unique, but as I am a woman, I understand.

Some of my female staff have issues with their menstrual cycles, so I asked a gynaecologist to come to the factory. As a business owner, there are sometimes challenges. But when the workers see that you care about them, they stay with you. (Ghana, 2024)

A few years ago, I learnt that the International Labour Organization had rolled out a programme working directly with enterprises in the garment sector, helping with the transfer of skills, workplace safety and health, and social policies.

Through the programme, experts have come into the factory to help train our staff. They are helping us to be more competitive. We have learned many things, such as the industrial engineering of garment patterns. Since then, we have invested in computers to digitise our patterns and be more efficient.

We have also started to make use of excess fabrics that we would normally have thrown away. Now, we turn them into products that we can sell, like hair ties or pouches.

When customers come to buy from us, they see that we are serious. Meeting all these international requirements has made us more attractive to customers. (Ghana, 2024)

Thanks to the ILO's programme, we have made many improvements. Some are costly, but the changes are helping us to gain market access. Customers take us seriously when they see our standards.

We have a fire exit and clearly marked spaces and lanes that must not be blocked, so that workers can leave safely if there is a problem. The workers have access to drinking water and washrooms.

Our social policies mean that, even if we are hiring somebody for one day, it has to be documented. We check all the workers' IDs to make sure their age complies with international standards.

In the factory, overtime is voluntary, and it is all documented and digital. The workers punch in with their fingerprints or their eyes, so there are no disputes.

In the beginning, some of the staff found the paperwork very tedious, but now they understand why we do this. It's all clear and everybody's happy.

The improvements to working conditions benefit the business itself. The workers feel that you care about them, so they are also committed to the growth of the business.

We have also introduced a Workers' Committee that holds regular meetings. If there is any grievance, the information is channelled to the management. And if there is a tight deadline for an order, we discuss it with the Committee to see how we can make it happen. It has really helped the relationship between the management and the workers.

At the end of the day, the improvements to working conditions benefit the business itself. The workers feel that you care about them, so they are also committed to the growth of the business.

It has been very fulfilling to reach this point. For me, the hardest moments have been when we need to let workers go. That is my nightmare, and it drives me constantly to work more.

Sometimes I wonder how I got here. I didn't put pen to paper to do it. I jumped right in. I always knew this was what I was going to do.

Recently the ILO project supported my participation at a garment trade show in Las Vegas where I promoted my business. (United States, 2024)

Linda Ampah’s company, KAD Manufacturing Limited, is supported by the ILO’s Productivity Ecosystems for Decent Work programme.

The programme runs from 2022 to 2025 and is being implemented in Ghana, South Africa and Viet Nam.

It is funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD).

In Ghana, the programme is prioritizing the textile and garment sector and the shea butter sector as key areas of focus to enhance productivity and decent work.

Garment companies like KAD Manufacturing are being provided with advisory services, productivity improvement training, costing and lean manufacturing training, and support for compliance and certification to help them meet industry standards. 

In 2022, the European Union signed an Economic Partnership Agreement with Ghana to foster economic and trade relations, including for the garment sector, by reducing tariffs and other trade barriers.

Interview with Magdalena Wüst, acting Head of Cooperation, Embassy of Switzerland in Ghana

ILO Productivity Ecosystems for Decent Work Ghana

ILO Productivity Ecosystems for Decent Work programme

Linda Ampah is founder and CEO of a garment manufacturing company employing around 400 people, in Accra, Ghana. Recent improvements in productivity and working conditions at her factory have benefitted both workers and the business.

When conflict arrived to my home in northern Sri Lanka, we were displaced and I was injured. The injury led to a permanent disability. Even though I have experienced many challenges in my life, I still believe that nothing is impossible. Today, I am proud of everything that I have achieved.

When I was young, my family encouraged me to pursue any occupation that I wanted. I didn't have any restrictions. My father taught me to climb trees. He used to say: "keep climbing", and, one day, I climbed right up.

I completed my Ordinary Level exams in 2001 and began teaching at a nursery in 2002. But sometime after that, conflict arrived to our home, and we lost everything. We were displaced and lived in a camp. I got injured in 2008 and the injury made me a person with a disability.

I faced my hardships, and it made me stronger

During the final stages of the conflict, I was teaching at the refugee camp when a mutual friend introduced me to my future husband.

My husband is a great poet and a great artist. However, my mother worried about how challenging our life together would be, as he is also a person with a disability.

The first time we went out and I pushed his wheelchair, everyone stared at us. That day, I decided that people should see us established and financially independent. Today, I think we have achieved that aim.

The love that I felt when I first met my husband is the same now. I think, in fact, it has increased. (Sri Lanka, 2024)

After we married, we faced many hardships. We didn't have all the necessary facilities for my husband, and it was very difficult for me to travel with him.

Transport for persons with disabilities is in a dire state. Bus drivers and conductors find it very difficult to board a person who uses a wheelchair. It takes time for the person to board the bus and that means other passengers must wait. Because of that, the buses often don’t stop to let us board. 

The first time we went out and I pushed his wheelchair, everyone stared at us. That day, I decided that people should see us established and financially independent.

At that time, I started working in a garment factory. I worked there for around eight years, but the work was very difficult. When I was working at the factory, I thought “why should I continue to work for someone else?” So I decided to save exactly half of my salary and manage our expenses with the remainder.

With the money I saved, I bought a sewing machine and started a tailoring business at home. It was the only way for me to move upward.

Now, sewing is my primary occupation. Through this, I have built my livelihood. And because of my habit of saving, today we live well. I feel like I have already accomplished three quarters of my dreams.

I am a person who does things that seem impossible. I would never abandon something because I think that I can’t do it.  (Sri Lanka, 2024)

I’m the kind of person where if someone asks if I can do something, I will tell them I can, even if I don’t know how. An acquaintance asked me if I knew how to drive a three-wheeler and I said: “Yes, of course. Start the vehicle and I will drive it." He started it. I then asked if I should pull the gear up or down and he said to put the first gear up. So, I put it up and after riding for a while he said: “Why don’t you change the gear?” Then I quickly changed to second gear. Then he said to speed up a bit and change the gear. That's how I learnt to drive.

After that, everyone in the village knew me as the woman who could drive a three-wheeler. The very first time I drove a three-wheeler for hire with a passenger behind me, I felt such happiness in my heart. Everyone was amazed to see a woman driving.

Of course, there are challenges as a woman driving a three-wheeler. Many men don't like it. People will talk, but if we pay heed, we won't get our work done.

Women say they feel secure when I drive them. When they travel a long distance with a man, they sometimes feel uncomfortable. They feel they can travel safely with another woman.

I park the three-wheeler right outside my shop. If someone calls me for a hire, I drive them. I also use it for my own needs, from buying goods to doing deliveries. (Sri Lanka, 2024)

When the local three-wheeler cooperative had an opportunity to lease vehicles adapted for wheelchair users, I was shortlisted for an assessment and I became a member of the cooperative.

These three-wheelers are equipped with a ramp and, since my husband is also a person with a disability, it was recommended that I should receive one.

The cooperative also conducted training programmes about persons with disabilities and gender equality. If these trainings are continuously provided to other villages, especially to women who are interested in getting empowered, then there is a chance that more women like me will emerge.

Rather than trying on my own, I joined a cooperative of three-wheeler drivers. We meet regularly and I’ve learned a lot. (Sri Lanka, 2024)

I also know how to repair three-wheelers as well as motorbikes, which I learned at a mechanics training course offered for women.

Just like me, women should not limit themselves. They can learn mechanics, sewing and masonry. They are capable of everything. My wish is that women step out and become such individuals. If other women show interest in learning to drive, I am ready to teach them. 

Just like me, women should not limit themselves. They can learn mechanics, sewing and masonry. They are capable of everything.

My desire, one day, is to own a big vehicle. Reaching that goal will take a long time. It might be only possible when I am old. I would also like to study further. I have an affinity for electrical mechanics. If an organisation offered electrical mechanics courses for women, I would be first in-line to join.

Becoming a successful entrepreneur is another aspiration for me. Eventually, I hope to provide jobs to others, step by step, employing one or two people at first. I think it will also be better if it is a person with a disability, because just like me, they would have also faced many hardships in life. I am looking forward to being able to provide employment to them, to make their life better.

In the past, I have fallen and got back up. But these experiences have made me think that I shouldn’t waste a minute, and I should take others with me. 

Leena Penildas Thatkuras is a beneficiary of the International Labour Organization (ILO) project “Local Empowerment through Economic Development and Reconciliation" (LEED+).

The project ran from 2018 to 2023 in partnership with The Government of Norway and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australian AID).

It aimed to reduce poverty and create sustainable livelihoods to support post-conflict economic recovery and promote reconciliation in northern Sri Lanka.

Ten percent of the population in northern Sri Lanka is comprised of persons with disabilities who are at a high risk of poverty and social exclusion. Women with disabilities experience discrimination on the grounds of both their gender and impairment.

As part of the project, the ILO provided training to local cooperatives on disability inclusion and gender equality, including at the three-wheeler drivers cooperative, where Leena Penildas Thatkuras is a member. It also provided wheelchair-accessible three-wheelers to the cooperative. 

December 3 is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Through development cooperation and international labour standards, the ILO works to promote social justice and achieve decent work for people with disabilities.

Interview with Paul Stephens, Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka

Interview with Johan Bjerkem, Embassy Secretary, Embassy of Norway to India and Sri Lanka

Local Empowerment through Economic Development and Reconciliation (LEED+) Project

Promoting Advancement of Vulnerable Persons and Enterprises (PAVE) Project 

International Day of Persons with Disabilities, 3 December

Leena Penildas Thatkuras was injured during the civil conflict in Sri Lanka, which left her with a permanent disability. She now runs a sewing business and supplements her income by driving a three-wheeler for hire adapted for people who use wheelchairs, provided by an ILO project.

When I had children, I had to stop working to take care of my family. But managing with only my husband’s income was extremely difficult. A job vacancy at a garment factory with a newly opened childcare centre, gave me an unexpected opportunity to return to work.

My name is Meseret Tamru, and I am 29 years old. I live in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. I was born and raised in a small rural town in the Amhara Region. When I was young, I used to travel for an hour each day to get to school. By the end of 6th grade, I stopped studying.

When I was 22, I decided to move away from my small town to look for work in Addis Ababa. I went to the city with a friend who was older and had more experience than me. Back then, I was unfamiliar with the roads and the city. The journey was quite terrifying, but still, we were filled with hope for a better future.

Meseret Tamru, an employee in a garment factory in Ethiopia, had to stop working when she had children. An ILO-supported childcare centre at her workplace has allowed her to return to employment and helped contribute to the family finances.

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